Why buy a specific bag to carry wine bottles when furoshiki -- a simple square piece of pretty cloth -- can do the same thing more stylishly? Furoshiki's a type of Japanese wrapping cloth that's used to transport things -- whether it's wine bottles or a bowling ball. Watch the how-to video below to see just how versatile a simple piece of silk cloth can be!

With the holiday season coming up, furoshiki can be used as a gorgeous, reusable gift wrap, too -- something my wine bag won't do as well. Planning on giving a green book or a box of fair trade chocolates this season? Here's another video from RecycleNow that shows how to stylishly gift wrap both of those using furoshiki:

If you’re more of a hands-on instruction person, I hope you live in the Los Angeles area — because the Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA) has put together a Furoshiki Food Drive and Art Workshop — and the class supports a good cause, too!

Simply drop off food or personal care supplies at the museum between Nov. 16 and Nov. 21 (check the food drive list below to see what items are needed) — and you’ll get a free voucher for a Furoshiki Thanksgiving Bundles workshop with Jay Lizo on Nov. 22 from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

You’ll also get a raffle entry for a four-pack of tickets to KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil at the Santa Monica Pier — and a free Cirque du Soleil clown nose. The goods you donate will benefit the Ocean Park Community Center, which provides housing and services on the Westside to low-income and homeless communities.

Don’t have anything to donate? Then pay $10 to get into the furoshiki workshop — or become a SMMoA member to attend free.